Concrete form spacer



Y March 5, 1935. R CQLGAN ErAL 1,993,088`

CONCRETE FORM SPACERl Original Filed Jan. 13, 1932 Patented Mar. 5, 1935 y1,993,088 l ,CONCRETE FORM 'SPACER Robert J.

`Colgan, Wayne, and Anthony Grange, lPhiladlphia, Pra.:

Applimfin January 13, 1932, serai No.L 586,320

Renewed 'January 11, 1934 ".flhevlpresent invention :relates to `concrete construction andfmore particularly to the spacing of forms usedtsina'connection with the pouring of concretelor `other material.

In pouring concrete to make walls, piers, columna'andiotherstructures it is necessary to provide forms of fthe .proper 'shape and dimensions forlfohe 'purpose intended. An important part of thetconstruction is lthe correct fspacinglof forms sothat ,the poured concrete will Vbe of .the required .uniform width'while such spacingis maintainedsuntil the concretezhas set. Various complicatedldevicesrfor spacing these forms have been tried 'but Shave-been l"foundimpractical because of the :added Joost .of labor `for installation; the high cost of the devices, and the fact that such .devices have tobe .removed vafter the concrete has set causing damage which .necessitates unsightly patching.

Some of the objects of the present invention are to provide an improved device for spacing forms during the pouring of concrete; to provide a simple and inexpensive spacing device which can be assembled in operative position with a minimum of labor; to provide a spacing device for concrete forms which does not have to be removed after the concrete has set; to provide spacing means for forms wherein bars of scrap material can be efficiently associated with certain furnished parts to make a complete unitary spacer; to provide a form spacer which functions effectively without causing holes, depressions, or breaks in the face of the wall or other structure when the forms are removed; to provide a spacer for concrete forms which becomes a permanent part of the wall or other structure and eliminates therefore the possibility of irregular surfaces; to provide a spacer device which can be installed quickly and Without the loss of time incident to devices which have been sporadically tried in an attempt to solve the problem; and to provide other improvements as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation of two spaced form boards showing one form of the present invention in operative position; Fig. 2 represents a. sectional elevation of a concrete wall showing the invention embodied therein after the removal of the board forms; Fig. 3 represents a perspective of one end of a spacer bar capped with the end anchoring socket; and Fig. 4 represents one form of anchoring element as furnished for use.

Referring to the drawing one form of the present invention consists of two anchoring sockets 10 and a spacer bar 11 having its ends respectivelyseated insaid` sockets IO'as supports for :the u barfll. .'iEach Ysocket `10 is preferably-of 'stamped metalythoughother methods of ymakingfmay'be employed, :and Aconsists, of a base 12 of fsuitable shape having 4a "plurality: 4vof laterally disposed prongs 13 iprojecting generally parallel from/,one side offthe base 12. Also integral with therbase 12 are aplurality 'offlugs -14 which -in :thevinitia-l forming lie Ain -the 7planeof 1.the ibase 12 =and-expose thezbase rwithout vobstr-uction to a 'hammeror other implement to cause the prongs 13 to'p'enetrate aboard form Ifor (concrete. The :base 12 provides va `fiat bearing fsurlface on fits Vouter side against which abuts kktherend offthe spacerbzair '11 and is ithere held by bendingthe llugs 14d-against the side -of fthe y-ba'r *11 :inthe form fof a )retaining socket. n f f In order `to avoid 'holes 1in ;the :nishedconcrete and lito fexpose a 1very'minimum rpart of th'e fspacer elements after the form boards have been removed, it is preferable to provide spaces 15 at the respective ends of the bar so that grout can ll in and practically embed the whole spacer device. To that end each of the prongs 13 is formed with a tab- 16 which is bent inwardly to parallel the base 12 at such a distance therefrom as will give a large enough space to allow grout to enter and adequately ll it. Thus the three tabs 16 will all lie in the same plane equally spaced from the base 12 and when the prongs 13 are driven into a form board the tabs 16 act as limit stops abutting the face of the board and holding the socket in suity able spaced relation to such board.

In use the sockets 10 are shipped in bulk and have the form such as shown in Fig. 4. The spacer bars 11 are generally cut to length at the job because of the great variation in width of walls, columns and the like. When the distance between the two form boards, shown at 17, is known the bars 11 to be used with the sockets 10 are cut to give a length equal to the distance between the bases 12 of two oppositely located sockets 10. The sockets 10 are arranged in pairs, the socket element of one pair being mounted on the face of one form board opposite the other socket element of'the opposite form board and both elements being substantially in the same horizontal plane. The socket elements are quickly placed because one hammer blow generally forces the prongs 13 into the boards and brings the limit tabs 16 into face contact with the boards. The bars 11 are now placed between the bearing seats of the bases 12 and fastened by bending the lugs 14 into gripping relation With the sides of the bar. When the concrete mix is poured into the form it will surround the bar 11 and sockets 10 while also entering and filling the spaces 15. Therefore the only parts of the spacer device not covered by the material are the protruding ends of the prongs 13 and the relatively small area of the stops 16. The ends of the prongs 13 being of thin material can easily be cut olf flush with the face of the wall and in the following pointing operation both these exposed flush ends and the portion of the stops 16 can be completely concealed. Attention is also directed to the ingenious spacing of the ends of the rod 11 from the plane of the Wall faces and providing a structure which permits the concrete or grout to fill in this space and thereby completely insure against exposure of the rod ends. The disadvantage in having the steel rod ends exposed on the face of the nished wall is that corrosion a1- most immediately takes place and staining of the wall takes place.

It will now be apparent that a complete unitary spacingdevice has been devised readily placed in position between the frame boards which receive concrete and can be so placed with a minimum of labor and in exact spacing relation by unskilled help. Furthermore byv the device of the present invention the 'spacing elements do not have to be removed after the concrete is poured and as they can be manufactured very cheaply the loss by'leaving them in the concrete is inappreciable.

While only a single form is shown in which this invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any specic construction, but might be applied to various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. Av spacer for concrete forms comprising a bar, sockets for receiving the respective ends of said bar, and prongs on each socket for anchoring said sockets to the inner faces respectively of two opposite form members.

2. A spacer for concrete forms comprising a bar, sockets for receiving the respective ends of said bar, prongs on each socket for anchoring said sockets to the inner faces respectively of two opposite form members, and stops to'limit the penetration of said prongs into said members.

3. A spacer for concrete forms comprising a bar, sockets for receiving the respective ends of said bar, prongs on each socket for anchoring said sockets to the inner faces respectively of two opposite form members, and means to form spaces at opposite ends of said bar between said sockets and said members.

"1. A spacer for concrete forms comprising a bar, and two base members to seat against the respective ends of said bars, lugs attached to said base members and arranged to be bent outwardly to form sockets for receiving the ends of said rod, and prongs attached to said base members and extending therefrom in the opposite direction from said lugs to penetrate a form board and anchor each socket.

5. A spacer for concrete forms comprising `a bar, and two base members to seat against the respective ends of said bars, lugs attached to said base members and arranged to be bent outwardly to form sockets for receiving the ends of said rod, 

